Open Water Scuba Certification!

  Ko Tao, Thailand
Sunday, January 20, 2008

Ok, OK... SO we went for it at Crystal Dive Resort! We couldn't pass up such a great deal! Its ALREADY the cheapest place in the world to get certified for open water scuba, and on top of that, they gave us 2000 baht off the price and free accommodation.

Getting all suited up!

Talking it over, we decided that although we didn't budget for it: well, who cares, really! ;) We would probably have blown it somewhere else lame, anyways...and this would be a great experience.:D Also, we DID spend that first night "shopping around" for not only the best "deal", but also the most qualified school. As it turns out, it looks like we really scored on the right place. A Lot of places were giving discounts, but our school had really top notch instructors that were all 2 levels higher than any of the others required on the island... Its nice to have peace of mind!

Checking my regulators!

DAY 1)
That morning we found ourselves in a classroom with 4 other students: Claire (England), Dean (England), Oliver (Australia), and Rachel (Michigan and teaching in China). Our dive master instructor, Andrew, was from England as well and instructing for 6 years. It was a LONG day in the classroom with a bunch of quizes... It was also a day to get to know each other.

DAY 2)
At 8 in the morning, we met out near the pool and got familiar with all our equipment (it took well over an hour, repeating steps and naming our equipment). Then, we jumped into the pool for 4 1/2 hours, mastering all 25 skills. These skills all had to be done under water and included: throwing our breathing regulators out of our mouth, finding it and then start breathing again; throwing our masks off under water, finding it, and then putting it back on our faces and releasing all the water from it; learning hand signals, mastering buoyancy and breathing, and even simulating "out of air" scenarios.

HUNGRY Dive crew after 1st Day at sea!

Mathew was the wiz kid of the class, mastering each skill the first time he did it. I had to get over some "nerves" and had trouble with the face mask. I couldn't get all the water out of my face mask and would have to re-do it a lot (coming up and out of the water to do so - which is a big NO NO). BUT - our instructor was great, and he made me do it, like 20 times so that the last 10 times, it was no big deal. I got over all my fears. Dean had some problems with this as well, and had to go back early the next morning and do it till he was competent. Anyone not 100% competent in any skill was NOT allowed to continue in the ocean. OF course, we all had faith in Dean, that he could do it! :D
After the pool, we broke for a late lunch and then went back to the classroom for the last of of our textbook stuff and final written test.
It was such an exhausting day! We all fell asleep early!

DAY 3)
OUR FIRST DIVES!!!! Our first dive was at Mango Bay.

Mango Bay, Ko Tao - our first dive spot

After setting up our equipment and doing a "buddy check", we had to jump into the water, feet first. Our tanks are so HEAVY! But in the water, we feel great. At Mango Bay, it was 12-14 Meters deep and we had to repeat all our skills, to keep going. All of us completely competent, We all passed with flying colors! IT was so surreal, under the water! After our skills, we were able to swim around together.

Mango Bay, Ko Tao - our first dive spot

On our second dive, we went to Japanese Gardens, where we had to jump in the water backwards! That was pretty thrilling. Mathew was having some problems with equalizing, but was just fine. I was like a fish and could pretty much reach the ocean floor without hesitation.

Mathew excited about second dive!

Our group has gotten REALLY close in the last few days and when out of class, we still hang out with each other. I guess trusting people with your life, does that...

second Dive spot - Japanese Gardens, Ko Tao

DAY 4)
OUR LAST DAY TO PROVE OUR STUFF! So, we got our OWN boat (which was really cool) and a videographer. We had to jump in "James Bond style", which was doing a summer sault off the boat!

1-just finished up our 4th Dive & are OFFICIAL!

On this dive, we dove to 18 meters (our maximum allowance on an Open Water certification) at TWINS, and had to repeat the most "need-to know" skills. This dive was fun because we had the dive recorded and got to show off a bit. Whats more, is that the visibility was 30 meters (which is about 90 feet)!!! It was so clear and beautiful down there, and we saw so many great things (cool fish and sting rays)....
Whats EVEN more, (if I can toot the horn a bit), is that Mathew and I were great breathers and we hardly used any of our air! Which meant that while the rest of the gang had to surface with a dive master and get back on the boat; Mathew and I were able to swim an extra 10+ minutes with our instructor. Our buoyancy was even so good, we got to take off weights!
On our second dive, which was also recorded, we just got to have fun. WHAT A GREAT TIME!!!!

That night, we all got to watch our video and have drinks at sunset...exhausted! The video was great, but my summer-saults into the water were more like face first plunges!! :D Our group was now officially Open Water Scuba Divers!!!

2-just finished up our 4th Dive & are OFFICIAL!

**SO GET THIS: The video cost $75, and we couldn't afford it - and wasn't worrying about it, really. The dives were special enough. We were having a great time. The rest of the gang all bought videos and were so stoked on diving, they all decided to keep on going the next day for the Advanced Scuba Certification (which was 5 more adventure/skill dives). Well, we certainly couldn't afford to keep going on! We were just still on an adrenaline high from diving what we DID dive!
Well, in the later part of the evening, Dean surprised us by buying us a video! He just slipped it to Matt, telling him that he really wanted us to have it and that he was really glad to give it to us. WHAT A NICE GUY!! A bit later, he then confided to us that he talked to the Crystal Dive Center and told them that he was going to pay for both me and Matt to get our advanced certification. We were like' "what?!?! no no no no!" That was just WAY overboard and we couldn't accept. Well, Dean is a very generous guy who is also well convincing! He took us to the side, and explained to us that the reason that he enjoyed the scuba experience so much, was the group..and that we were part of the group. If we weren't there, something would be missing and he just didn't like the idea that we wouldn't be there... He also explained that he was REALLY "well-to-do" and that he made, "way more in one night than the cost of both of [us] to do it". And "not to worry about it, its pennies to him."
How do you like that? He really made it impossible for us not to accept!... So, so that that, and we all had yet ANOTHER dive in the morning!

just finished up our 4th Dive & are OFFICIAL!